Man who flew weaponized drones loses bid to return to school

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut man who posted widely viewed online videos of flying drones shooting bullets and flames has lost a legal fight to overturn his expulsion from college.

A Superior Court judge recently dismissed a lawsuit by Austin Haughwout (HOW’-it), who sued Central Connecticut State University officials for wrongful expulsion. His lawyer said Monday that an appeal is planned.

Central Connecticut officials said the 20-year-old Clinton resident was expelled last year for threatening to shoot people at the school. Haughwout denied the allegation and said the drones were the real reason he got kicked out.

Federal authorities have been investigating Haughwout’s drones, which are seen on YouTube videos firing a gun and shooting flames in his backyard. Haughwout also is facing child pornography and other criminal charges, which he denies.